“Bismillaahir-rahmaanir raheem”
(In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful)
Watermelon Wednesday is a weekly brief shared with our elected officials to ensure they are aware of Israel’s aggression, the Palestinian experience, and our country’s complicity in this genocide and international war crimes.
TL;DR:
- >360 Gazans killed, including in the escalating siege of Gaza City. Even the Israeli Supreme Court ruled that Palestinian prisoners are being tortured.
- Israeli forces are stepping up violence and aggression in the West Bank, with one town being called out to walk lines in a “show of humiliation”.
- Israel strikes Syria, Yemen, and Qatar, bringing total countries attacked this year to six. Countries are boycotting Israeli products, as the GSF aid ship is bombed.
- America continues to support Israel, even after condemning its strike on Qatar, stifling pro-Palestinian speech and sentiment.
Takeaways:
- Amidst international and Israeli court condemnation, Israel’s brutality persists in Gaza and the West Bank.
- Israel’s violence is spilling all over the Middle East, maybe eventually to us.
- Countries are taking concrete actions to stifle Israel’s cruelty.
- …Yet America remains a staunch supporter of Israel’s project.
As your constituents we urge you to:
- Push for deescalation in Gaza City.
- Denounce Israel’s cruel West Bank and international encroachment.
- Join others in recognizing Palestinian statehood.
- Divest from Israel-supporting businesses.
Enforced Deprivation and “Humiliation”
- Gaza City evicted, West Bank terrorized
- >360 Gazans killed, particularly in dense Gaza City:
- 9/8 – >52 Gazans killed, many in Gaza City. [Al Jazeera]
- 9/9 – >42 Gazans killed, many near aid. [Al Jazeera]
- 9/10 – >70 Gazans killed. [Al Jazeera]
- 9/11 – >72 Gazans killed. [Al Jazeera]
- 9/12 – >65 Gazans killed. [Al Jazeera]
- 9/13 – >60 Gazans killed. [Al Jazeera]
- 9/5 – UNRWA report: [UNRWA]
- 1.9M Gazans displaced since Oct 7th
- >856,000 Gazans displaced since March 18th 2025
- >63,746 Gazans killed since Oct 7th
- 987 Palestinians in West Bank killed since Oct 7th
- 9/7 – Israel destroyed about the 50th building in Gaza City. [Al Jazeera]
- 9/8 – Israel told Gaza City residents to evacuate after warning it would step up airstrikes and ground ops in a “mighty hurricane”. [Reuters]
- 9/8 – Israel Supreme Court ruled that the government is intentionally depriving Palestinian prisoners of minimum food. [NBC]
- 9/9 – Gazans in Gaza City were given leaflets ordering them out. [Reuters]
- 9/10 – Families of Israeli hostages expressed fear for fate of loved ones after Netanyahu’s decision to launch strikes on Qatar. [Reuters]
- 9/12 – Israel bombed a UNRWA-run school and makeshift shelter in Gaza City. [Al Jazeera]
- >360 Gazans killed, particularly in dense Gaza City:
- West Bank
- 9/7 – Israeli settlers assaulted a Bedouin family near Taybeh, while Israeli forces continue to raid the West Bank. [Al Jazeera]
- 9/8 – Palestinians in the West Bank are facing severe water shortages, driven by attacks on scarce water sources by extremist settlers. [Reuters]
- 9/9 – Israel demolished multiple homes in the West Bank hometowns of two Palestinian gunmen who attacked a Jerusalem bus stop. [Reuters]
- 9/12 – Netanyahu signed an agreement to push ahead with settlement expansion plan. [Middle-East Eye]
- 9/12 – Israeli forces sealed off Tulkarem, West Bank, as soldiers forcefully marched Palestinians in lines in a “show of humiliation”. [Al Jazeera]
Israeli soldiers arrested random Palestinian men and forced them to march during a raid on Tulkarem. [Al Jazeera]
Concrete Action, Sixth Aggression
- Israel strikes Yemen and Syria, countries boycott Israel, and the GSF is bombed
- 9/7 – UN official: There is a “narrow window” to prevent famine from spreading further in Gaza. [UN]
- 9/8 – Spain banned ships and aircraft carrying weapons to Israel from calling at Spanish ports or entering its airspace. [AP]
- 9/8 – Israel struck near Syria’s central Homs, coastal Latakia, and historic Palmyra. [Reuters]
- 9/8 – >1,800 actors, entertainers, and producers signed a pledge to not work with Israeli film institutions that are complicit with abuse. [NYT]
- 9/9, 9/10 – The Global Sumud Flotilla civilian aid ship was attacked by a drone twice while near Tunisia. [Reuters] [Reuters]
- 9/11 – Netherlands to ban imports of goods produced in Jewish settlements in the West Bank over plans for annexation. [Middle-East Eye]
- 9/11 – Germany decided to back a proposal for a two-state solution. [Bloomberg]
- 9/11 – Number of casualties in Yemen due to Israeli strikes rose to 46 killed, 165 wounded. [AP]
- 9/13 – UN overwhelmingly endorsed a declaration of “tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps” towards a two-state solution. [Reuters]
- Israel strikes Qatar, the sixth country it attacks this year
- 9/9 – Israel launched an airstrike against Hamas leaders in Qatar, including negotiators. [Al Jazeera]
- Countries condemned Israel’s strike on Qatar:
- 9/10 – The European Commission will propose sanctioning extremist Israeli ministers and suspension of trade-related measures. [Reuters]
- 9/10 – Israel has attacked at least 6 countries this year. [Al Jazeera]
Israel struck Doha, Qatar. This year, it has also attacked Syria, Yemen, etc. [Al Jazeera]
Continued Complicity
- Trump’s administration continues staunch complicity
- 9/10 – Mike Huckabee: recognition of Palestinian statehood is what reduced U.S. pressure on Israel to release PA funds. [Reuters]
- 9/10 – Israeli diplomat says countries upset over aggression against Qatar will “get over it”. [Al Jazeera]
- 9/13 – UC Berkeley gave U.S. officials info on 160 pro-Palestinian staff/students; one compared it to McCarthyism. [Al Jazeera]
UC Berkeley was pressured to share information on 160 pro-Palestine staff and students with the government. [Al Jazeera]